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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25861873">disco lights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/maketea/pseuds/maketea'>maketea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Best Friends, Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Slow Dancing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:20:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25861873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/maketea/pseuds/maketea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>alya cheers marinette up after another failed confession to adrien.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire &amp; Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>disco lights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i love them so much!!!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marinette took a sip of her Coke and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched Adrien through the rosy disco lights pull out his phone and scroll through it idly. Whenever he glanced up, she turned her attention back to the dance floor between them — the first time she had set her eyes on the sequins on a girl’s dress, and the second time on the pairs of brand new black loafers that slow-danced with pairs of shiny red heels. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They could’ve been there — in the nook farthest away from everyone — Adrien’s brand new black loafers dancing with Marinette’s shiny red heels. That had been the dream as soon as the idea of a student-run school dance came to fruition. She had been working on her gown for weeks, and had dug crescent moons into the backs of her mother’s and Alya’s hands alike when practicing her balance in high heels. Marinette looked up from her drink and met Nino’s gaze from the DJ booth — she would have to apologise to him later for requesting the slow song without even getting up to dance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette tipped the rest of the Coke into her mouth, took an ice cube between her teeth, and crunched down on it. Stealing a furtive glance around, she then hauled up the entire bottle, and filled her glass right up to the rim. The remainder of her ice cubes bobbed up under the pressure. She chewed a bit more on the one in her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you always eat them, girl?” she heard behind her. “You’ll ruin your teeth doing that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette whipped around so fast the plastic stool almost upset itself. All that kept it upright was Alya’s grip on the arm rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh," she sighed. "It's you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who else would it be? Everyone else is on the dance floor." Alya took Marinette's glass and sipped. "What happened with Adrien?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette winced. She busied her mouth on the ice cube until there was nothing left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I chickened out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, M."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, I know, I'm so lame." She swivelled back around on her stool and hid her face in her hands. "It was so perfect! We were alone, the music wasn't too loud, I only stuttered </span>
  <em>
    <span>once!</span>
  </em>
  <span> It was so perfect, but… but…" Marinette lowered her hands to look across the dance floor to Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you freaked out?" Alya said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette groaned, head sinking to the table. "Yeah. As per usual."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All her preparation had gone to waste. Begrudgingly, she wiped off the cherry lip gloss she wore especially for tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey." Alya put a hand on her shoulder and turned her. "Don't be so hard on yourself. It didn't work out tonight — so what? That doesn't mean it'll never work out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette let out a deep breath. She played with the ruffles on her gown, not lifting her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you ever think I'll ever be able to tell him how I really feel?" she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya smiled. "Of course. Maybe you're just not ready yet, and that's okay. Nobody's rushing you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know that, but…" She used a pink-tipped nail to trace a flower on her skirt. "I don't want to wait until it's too late."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Marinette turned her head back to Adrien, Alya did, too. A girl had approached him, the disco lights haloing her dark hair and glimmering on her jewellery. Her dress dipped between her shoulder blades, and while one hand rubbed the back of her neck, the other tangled nervously in the indigo sash around her waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She must have asked him something, perhaps for a dance, because Adrien smiled, shrugged, scratched his cheek sheepishly, then shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl nodded. When she turned to leave, her bright flush was on full display.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen." Alya grabbed Marinette's hands. "If it's meant to be, it'll never be too late. I mean, look at me and Nino. He was gonna ask </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> out, M. If Ladybug hadn't locked us in that panther cage, we'd probably never be where we are now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette cracked a smile. "Maybe you should lock me in a panther cage with Adrien. It sure looks like it'd speed things up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Haha! I'll make sure to ask Ladybug next time I see her. She seems great at playing matchmaker."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite herself, Marinette laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, Alya began to pull at her hands. "Come on. We can't let the slow song go to waste."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled once more, and Marinette, in an attempt to ease herself off the stool, tripped on her shiny red heel and fell straight into Alya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette braced herself against her arms, giggling. "Thank God that didn't happen with Adrien."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure he's seen you fall enough times to think it's normal."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm joking! Kinda." Alya took hold of Marinette's shoulders and righted her. "Why don't you just take your heels off?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Take them off? Are you crazy? I'll look so stupid!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, but no one's looking here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette scrunched up her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Look, I'm taking mine off, too. Can you lift my dress for me?" Alya said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette's own gown bounced around her when she knelt to gather Alya's skirts. Her hands swam through the bright orange ruffles until she had a fist of bunched up material, and, keeping a hand on the stool, Marinette held her dress above her ankles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya sighed as she slipped off her black pumps, and used her stockinged foot to push them by the table. Marinette was chagrined to see that Alya, without her heels, hadn't gotten much shorter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," she said, and began to kneel herself. "Your turn."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette had to hold onto the stool to keep herself from falling. She slipped off her red heels, and placed her feet back on the cold dance floor. The ache in her soles, though still there, immediately began to ebb. Alya released her skirt, and pulled her off the stool by the hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now," she said, moving Marinette's hand to her shoulder and putting her own on her waist. "May I have this dance?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed. "It would be an honour."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two steps in, and Marinette tripped once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both looked down. Alya was standing on her skirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oops, sorry, M." She stepped off of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette eyed her. "Aren't you meant to be the dancer out of us?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And shouldn't you have made a dress that people don't step on?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette grumbled. "Touché."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They swayed together, chatting, and when a pause came over their conversation, looked across the dance floor at all the flouncy, varicoloured gowns sparkling under the disco lights.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everyone looks so beautiful," Marinette remarked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right? Makes me wish I got my makeup done at a parlour like everyone else."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette tore her eyes from a royal-blue tea-length dress to Alya's face. Her makeup no longer sat uniformly as it had when they had been getting ready together, with her mascara flaking under her eyes and eyeliner faded from black to grey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart warmed — especially when Alya faced her too, and offered her a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're so pretty," Marinette said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're getting soft on me?" Alya reached up, and wiped where Marinette's lip gloss had smeared into her Cupid's bow. "Thanks, girl. It always means a lot when you say that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette wanted to hug her. But they'd finally picked up a rhythm on their dance, and ruining it now would lead to more stepped-on skirts and tripping over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya's eyes flicked up. "Don't look, but Adrien's watching us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh no — he probably thinks we're weird for taking off our shoes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Or</span>
  </em>
  <span> he's admiring how hot you look."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette snorted. "Me? 'Hot'?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please. You knew what you were doing with that tight bodice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She flushed. "I-I thought it looked cute."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"'Cute'. Okay, Marinette. Just like you wore that cherry lip gloss because you 'thought it looked pretty'. Not because you wanted to kiss a </span>
  <em>
    <span>certain someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> tonight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She flushed harder. Marinette didn't think she had been that obvious while they were doing their makeup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Alya?" she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Didn't you want to hang out with Nino while he DJ'ed? Why're you back here with me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya looked at her like she'd just asked what was so great about Ladybug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because you're my best friend," she said simply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, Marinette hugged her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took her by surprise — Alya's arms didn't wrap around her as fast as they usually did. Still, the reciprocation came. Just as it always did with Alya. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," Marinette said into her hair. Her perfume filled her lungs, along with that faint, inherently Alya smell that always reminded her of muffled laughter at midnight and pizza-induced tummy aches and tearing open bags of tangy sweets to share during a movie. "I'm so lucky to have you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aw. I love you, M." She rubbed her back. "I'll always be there for you. You just have to promise not to forget me when Adrien sweeps you off of your feet."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette laughed and squeezed her tighter. "I'd never."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The final verse of the slow song came to an end — only for the first verse of another to begin right after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, seriously? Another one?" Alya pulled back. "This was nice and all, but slow dancing in two gowns is not ideal. Want a chocolate shot?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pointed to the chocolate fountain. The line that had been there at the start of the evening was gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nice! Be back in a sec."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette watched her head for the chocolate fountain, holding her skirtful of orange ruffles out of the way. A girl on the dance floor did a double-take at her stockinged feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette whipped around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there was Adrien, having crossed the dance floor to stand by her. The effects of the long evening had barely taken a toll on him, yet. His tie remained unskewed, the lapels of his dark blazer levelled and as crisp as they had been when he had entered the venue. Even if he had spilled a few drops of his drink on himself (as she had done herself, she realised, using her hand to cover the spots of Coke on her skirt) his suit was sleek black, and revealed no such mishap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The disco lights played in his eyes. Marinette tried not to stare, but she had a feeling she already was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think this is the last slow song," he said. "Do you… wanna dance?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette's heart leapt into her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, she looked over her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya was still by the fountain, but had turned around, releasing her skirt in favour of the two chocolate shots she had filled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grinned at Marinette and Adrien. Gave her a thumbs-up as best as she could with two vials of melted chocolate in both hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette smiled. "Sorry, but… I think I'm gonna sit this one out with Alya. Maybe another time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien smiled, too. "Yeah, of course! I'll remember to find you next time I hear a slow song somewhere."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She giggled. "Alright. Sounds good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They said their goodbyes for the time being. Alya didn't come into earshot until Adrien had gone up into the DJ booth to sit with Nino.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Girl," she said, handing her the chocolate shot. "What happened?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette stirred it with the pink spoon Alya had picked out for her. "Nothing. He just… asked if I knew the time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really? All that money can't even buy him a watch?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya clinked their vials together. "To not being rich and still knowing what time it is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette watched as Alya forwent her spoon and sipped straight from the vial. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling, she ate a spoonful of chocolate, and rested her head on Alya's shoulder.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tumblr: rosekasa</p></blockquote></div></div>
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